The funeral for an Illinois State Police trooper who died after he was struck by a vehicle while responding to a crash on Interstate 294 over the weekend is set to be held Friday, officials confirmed.
A visition for trooper Chris Lambert is scheduled from 2-8 p.m. Thursday at Willow Creek Community Church in South Barrington, authorities said.
A funeral will take place at 10 a.m. Friday at the same church followed by a private burial.
In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the Lambert family at www.isphf.org/donations. In the comments section, donors should write "Trooper Lambert Memorial Fund."
According to police, Lambert was on his way home Saturday afternoon when he came upon the crash on the left shoulder of the road.
Lambert was out of his car and was responding around 3:44 p.m. near milepost 49.25 when he was struck by a vehicle traveling northbound on the roadway.
After the crash, 34-year-old Lambert was given CPR by an off-duty nurse, and was later taken to Glenbrook Hospital, where he was pronounced dead just before 7:30 p.m.
Local
Lambert leaves behind a wife and a 1-year-old daughter, police said. He was a five-year veteran of the force, authorities said, and he had previously served in the United States Army.
“He’s a hero,” Illinois State Police Director Leo P. Schmitz said. “and now I’m going to take care of him, his family and our troopers.”
The driver of the vehicle that struck Lambert did stop, and police are continuing to investigate the circumstances of the crash. No charges have been filed in the case.
“All the people who worked with him, they said he was a go-getter, he was a hard worker, they loved him, he got things done — we’re going to miss him,” Schmitz said.
State police led a procession of Lambert’s body to the Cook County medical examiner’s office early Sunday.
An autopsy conducted Sunday morning found Lambert died from multiple blunt force injuries related to the crash, according to the Cook County medical examiner’s office.
His death was ruled an accident.
